Remembering in an Age of Forgetfulnesshttp://namerick.com/blog
Namerick and BeyondFri, 17 Aug 2012 08:42:05 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.19 Women Tech Stars – Names to Rememberhttp://namerick.com/blog/9-women-tech-stars-names-to-remember/
http://namerick.com/blog/9-women-tech-stars-names-to-remember/#commentsMon, 07 Nov 2011 16:21:29 +0000Sarahhttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=301Now that “tech” has become a household word, it is clearly no longer just a man’s domain (no pun intended) and these nine women are proving it every day. These rising stars of tech are super smart, creative and and did we mention, smart? We’re not worthy!

(listed in no particular order)

1) Veronica Belmont

Veronica Belmont is tech writer, media producer and is also the video host of Tekzilla, a twice-weekly tech how-to show on Revision3 Internet Television. And she has over 1.5 million Twitter followers! With all those friends, how do you remember names, Veronica? We’d love to know. She was also listed #2 on Fast Company’s list of Most Influential Women in Technology. To state it simply, Veronica rocks.

2) Shira Lazar

Called the “Barbara Walters of YouTube,” Shira Lazar hosts numerous television and online broadcasts and special events as well as writes about social media, one of her areas of expertise, on Entrepreneur.com. Shira is clearly a name to remember with 10 billion connections, and you can bet she didn’t get where she is today by forgetting people’s names.

3) Heather Harde

Heather Harde is a contemporary of mine (we are the same age, both studied literature and both have ties to the New England area). Unfortunately (for me), the similarities stop there. Graduating from Harvard, Business School, Heather began to build an impressive career in technology. She is now the CEO of TechCruch. You can’t get much better than that.

4) Dr. Cynthia Breazeal

Dr. Breazeal is clearly a super-genius and a professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT. She also directs the Personal Robots Group at MIT, which studies and creates humanoid robots meant to interact with humans in expressive ways. Dr. Breazeal clearly knows a thing or two about human (and robot) capabilities. Boy, would we love to ask her a thing or two about the science of human memory!

5) Kellee Santiago

Kellee is the president and co-founder of That Game Company, a company that designs and develops video games. Before landing this most-impressive gig, Kellee worked for Guitar Hero. Seriously, though, how cool is she?

6) Erin Robinson

Erin is an independent video game developer as well as a writer/blogger. She wrote a amazing article exploring neuroscience and gaming on Gamasutra, which touched upon a subject near and dear to us…the human memory. Wouldn’t we love to pick her brain?!

7) Katrin Verclas

Katrin Verclas is the founder of Mobile Active , which is just about the coolest company ever. Mobile Active uses mobile phone technology to connect people to one another for a common good (humanitarian aid, education, the environment). You could say this is a tech company with a conscience. With global connections like hers, we’d love to know how Katrin keeps everybody’s names straight!

8) Jennifer Aaker

Jennifer Aaker is a highly influential social psychologist and marketing expert. She co-authored The Dragonfly Effect with her husband, a book about the impact of social media. She is also a professor at Stanford Business School. Well, you’ve certainly impressed us, Jennifer!

9) Leslie Bradshaw

Leslie Bradshaw is the COO for Jess3, a popular and well-connected interactive digital agency based in Washington, D.C. Leslie was raised not in Silicon Valley, but on a farm in Oregon. She is indeed a role model for young girls who want to think and work outside the box. Leslie was kind enough to tell us what names she has the hardest time remembering…old friends from high school that she hasn’t seen in a while! What cues help her to remember names of people she meets for the first time? Asking questions, listening carefully to their answers and repeating the person’s name out loud. She says she learned these great strategies from her dad, who is in the hospitality field. Thanks, Leslie (and Leslie’s Dad)!

]]>http://namerick.com/blog/9-women-tech-stars-names-to-remember/feed/010 Names to Remember in Tech Writing (+1)http://namerick.com/blog/10-names-to-remember-in-tech-writing-2/
http://namerick.com/blog/10-names-to-remember-in-tech-writing-2/#commentsTue, 01 Nov 2011 06:11:29 +0000Katehttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=234Ever feel overwhelmed by the amount of tech knowledge and news you’re expected to know? Want to understand it more fully? Want to be able to follow conversations with tech veterans who often reference noteworthy writers from reputable sites?
You can start here.

For your reference, we’ve complied a list. Its not your usual “Top 10″ because we have 11! Yes! Our favorite 11 influential writers in the technology field. In addition to knowing their names, be sure to read their work, as it is both enjoyable and informative.

Ellis Hamburger
Remember Ellis. Among the many other things he does well, Ellis is a writer for Business Insider. You’ll enjoy both his ‘brief and to the point posts’ and his longer form which he tells us he prefers. You’ll really enjoy his great article about Instagram.

How is Ellis with names you might wonder?“I struggle most to remember the names of PR people I meet at events. Journalists and PR people need each other to survive, but I’ve heard they outnumber us 3 to 1!”

Jeff Hughes
Jeff is an app genius. His most recent book offers priceless and timeless insight into the world of apps and app marketing. For those of you interested in app development, you should definitely check out this amazing article.

Do Jeff and names get along?“The names I struggle the most to remember are people I’ve only met once and then I run into them at a trade show or some other conference a year later. Sadly, they remember my name from my writing and books, but I don’t remember theirs!”

Jon Mitchell
Just look at that picture – doesn’t he look like the awesome front man for a a kickass indie band? Sadly, that’s not true. But Jon is my tech guru. Jon writes with a broad perspective, seeing importance and value in article topics that other people might ignore. One of the things I really love about Jon is his ability to explain the topic to his readers, which is very evident in this piece.

Is Jon a name magician?“I’m pretty bad about remembering names after one try… the problem is much worse in person. I tend to remember names of people I meet online. Being able to stare at a name in text is a luxury. The name doesn’t just float by over the air. I tend to get distracted by people’s eyes, faces, and body language, and that’s what causes names to go in one ear and out the other.”

Kevin Tofel
Kevin’s writing is very clean and provides a clear look at the article topic. He allows to reader to interpret the information how ever they want. Ever feel overwhelmed by the amount of work it takes to stay socially connected to friends? Kevin can help.

Soren Gordhamer
Do you ever feel inundated by the enormous amount of information we are expected to process every day? Soren’s writing is like a breath of fresh air because of his unique approach of “exploring ancient wisdom in modern life.” Soren reminds us that it is possible to find balance in our lives.

Andrew Tarantola
I give Andrew and his writing two thumbs up! (get it?)
Andrew has a billion things to say about a billion different topics. No matter what the topic is that you want to read about, I am 97% certain that Andrew has written about it. Need to build a Bungee-Powered Bazooka? Yep, Andrew’s written about it. And he’s probably written about whatever device it is your using to look up that Bazooka.

Xeni Jardin
<—- Look at her! This is not a woman you want to mess with! It is clear that she knows what is going on. Female writers in the tech blogging world are still pretty rare but Xeni let’s it be known that women belong. Her writing is informed and intelligent. And they are fun!

Raymond Wong
Ray is a man who knows what he is talking about. His writing style comes off as super cool, most likely because he is super cool. And he’ll be the first to tell you that gadgets and technology are his life. You can tell from his writing, he is passionate about what he does.

Michael Gorman
Sometimes tech blogging can be overly technical and complicated, leaving the reader confused. Maybe that’s why Michael had such a strong love for Star Trek: The Next Generation, who knows. I do know that I’m glad that Michael had that love because it is what led Michael to love technology and tech writing. When Michael writes, it’s not complicated. Michael breaks it down for you so that pretty much anyone can understand. Check out this article.

Dan Rowinski
Dan is the man. After reading just one of Dan’s posts, you probably won’t believe me when I tell you that he used to be a chef. You read right, a chef. It almost seems like Dan was born with a non-creepy, non-scary robot brain because he writes and explains all aspects of tech so well! I don’t know about you, but with posts like this, I’m glad Dan is writing. Although I wouldn’t say no to a free meal.

]]>http://namerick.com/blog/10-names-to-remember-in-tech-writing-2/feed/010 Names to Remember in Mom Blogginghttp://namerick.com/blog/10-names-to-remember-in-mom-blogging/
http://namerick.com/blog/10-names-to-remember-in-mom-blogging/#commentsThu, 20 Oct 2011 06:51:00 +0000Sarahhttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=243There are so many awesome mom bloggers out there, it was hard to narrow the field, but the 10 Names to Remember we’ve identified below simply make life easier for moms like me, either because they regularly post great tips and reviews, ideas about multi-tasking and saving time, or they just plain make me laugh (or all of the above)!

And there’s more…we also asked several mom bloggers to tell us what names they have the most trouble remembering, and we have included some of their great answers. Thanks for your input ladies, and let me just say… I can relate!

Cat Schwartz at HiTechMommyCat Schwartz is a tech and gaget expert who has been featured on the Today Show, Howard Stern and MSMBC as well as founded her own blog, HiTechMommy (yep, I’m jealous). Her down-to-earth tips are both helpful and humorous. Thanks Cat!

Stephanie at BizzieMommy
Whoa, Stephanie, you are a busy mommy, with a full-time job, an online business and multiple editorial responsibilities (in addition to being a real-life Valley Girl)! We like BizzieMommy’s tech and photography tips as well as her most impressive multi-tasking skills!

Liz Gumbinner at CoolMomTechCoolMomTech, the sister website to CoolMomPicks, is just, well… so cool! With twice-daily posts about the latest in technology as well as style, this site is a personal fave. Liz Gumbinner is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of CoolMomTech, the co-founder of Cool Mom Picks and was named a Nielson Power Mom in 2009. Wow! Checkout this post.. “We’re really proud to be able to find things parents are looking for, before they know they’re looking for them,” she says. When asked what names she has the hardest time remembering, Liz answered, “Personally, I am horrible at remembering the parents’ names in my kids’ classes. In my mind, everyone is ‘Dylan’s mom’ or ‘Sonia’s grandma.’ It doesn’t help that their email addresses offer few clues.”

Lorraine Akemann at Moms with Apps
If you haven’t checked out the app/website/blog, Moms with Apps, well then, you should! Moms with Apps is actually a collaborate of developers with a common goal-to create apps for kids and families that are high in quality. Their mission statement reads, “The purpose of the group is to support developers with best practices, support families who are trying to find apps for kids, and to advocate for healthy intersections of kids and technology.” Who could argue with that!

I use this app regularly to find out about the latest family-friendly apps for kids and to get codes for free and discounted apps every Friday (love, love, love App Friday!). Lorraine Akemann is one of the original founders of Moms with Apps and she also maintains a personal blog, Keeps Me Smiling.

Heather Leister at the iPhone Mom
I absolutely love the iPhone Mom site. Organized by age range, this blog focuses almost exclusively on app reviews for kids and moms. It also gets points for having one of the cutest blog designs out there. Heather is the creator and you’ll also find her contributing to Babble and Momtastic. Other than these awesome accomplishments, she’s just a regular mom, like me.

A favorite post for Heather is one she wrote about a common problem for iPhone 4S users: How to Turn Off Apps. When asked what names she has the hardest time remembering, Heather responded, “Where to begin! I think I probably have the most
trouble with the names of my children’s friends parents. Not their close friends but the acquaintances at school, the ones we might have an occasional playdate or party with. I’ve had too many awkward conversations where I have to go out of my way to not use a first name.”

Jenny Williams at GeekMomGeekMom evolved from another site with a similar name, GeekDad. Geek Mom is a very comprehensive and informative website for women. It offers a wide range of topics, including technology, parenting, travel and more. Jenny Williams is the site’s senior editor for content, a mother of two, and a self-proclaimed geek. Geek Mom is hip and happening and full of pop-culture. Read the posts to stay up-to-date with technology, books, movies and more.

Ellery Garrison at Mom’s Life Made Easy
With a great variety of posts about products (reviews), promotions and give-away’s, Ellery does indeed make a mom’s life easier as she does all the research! An up-and-coming site, Mom’s Life Made Easy is cute and sassy. Plus, did I mention that she has a super-cool name (to remember)?

Her favorite post right now is one she wrote about the Ultimate Playland by Playhut (she loves it). When asked what names she has the hardest time remembering, she wrote, “We just moved to a new town where we know NO ONE and (even as a teacher) I have a horrible time remembering names. I find the hardest to remember (are) the names of the parents of students in my children’s classrooms, especially which Mom/Dad goes with which child….!”

Tina Zucker at TechTools4Mom
TechTools4Mom is being re-designed currently and I can’t wait for the big reveal! This great site offers reviews of apps and other techie news in a straight-forward way that is fun to read. Tina’s favorite post right now is a review that she wrote about My Playhome for iPad (we are unable to link to it while her site is getting its make-over). Based on her review, I ended up buying this app and my kids loved it!

Like the others, Tina too reports that remembering the names of other kids’ parents is often quite difficult, writing, “I’m horrible at remembering the names of my children’s friends parents! It never fails, they are always Jane’s mom or dad!” I think I see a pattern here!

Elizabeth Thielke at Busy Mom
Why did Elizabeth make our top 10 list? Because not only are her Busy Mom Reviews great and informative, but her Busy Mom Blog is hysterical. While neither one of her sites has bells or whistles, her short, witty posts are a treat to read. She is a multi-tasking maven who also works as a nurse outside the home. Furthermore, she has established herself as a highly influential blogger and has been recognized multiple times for her contributions. Bravo!

Elizabeth Edwards at Mom Reviews
I value Elizabeth’s opinions of products as she has three kids and she really gets it. Plus, her blogs (yes, she has three) are really going places. In fact, Mom Reviews is syndicated on Alltop.com, a collection of the top stories on the web. This is one mom who knows how to network on the web, belonging to multiple blogging groups.

]]>http://namerick.com/blog/10-names-to-remember-in-mom-blogging/feed/0Step 1 to Becoming Presidenthttp://namerick.com/blog/step-1-to-becoming-president/
http://namerick.com/blog/step-1-to-becoming-president/#commentsTue, 20 Sep 2011 03:32:18 +0000adminhttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=200
So, you want to be President one day? Great! But there is a very important first step to help you get there.
Step 1 – You’ve got to be great at remembering names. Okay, so really step one is you have to be a citizen of the United States. But after that, the most important thing you can do is remember the names of all the people you meet. A wise person once said: “To recall a voter’s name is statesmanship. To forget it is oblivion.” Let’s take a quick look at history. Do the names Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bill Clinton and Abraham Lincoln mean anything to you? At the very least, you should recognize Abraham Lincoln as the guy on the penny. You’ve got to be pretty important in order to be on national currency.
]]>
So, you want to be President one day? Great! But there is a very important first step to help you get there.

Step 1 – You’ve got to be great at remembering names. Okay, so really step one is you have to be a citizen of the United States. But after that, the most important thing you can do is remember the names of all the people you meet. A wise person once said: “To recall a voter’s name is statesmanship. To forget it is oblivion.” Let’s take a quick look at history. Do the names Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bill Clinton and Abraham Lincoln mean anything to you? At the very least, you should recognize Abraham Lincoln as the guy on the penny. You’ve got to be pretty important in order to be on national currency.

So, besides being great leaders, what is one thing that these three guys have in common? They were all great at remembering names. All three of these presidents were able to make personal and meaningful connections with their voter base, with fellow leaders, and with the men and women that served under them by remembering their names and addressing them personally.

There’s a great story about Roosevelt going to special efforts to find and personally thank, by name, the mechanic who helped deliver him a specialized car that accommodated his paralysis. It’s clear that as president, FDR was a busy man, but he was never too busy to learn someone’s name. The investment that Franklin D. Roosevelt made to all of his countrymen by valuing the importance of their name is one of the things that made him a great President.

What about Bill Clinton? Put the scandal and the perjury aside for a minute – Clinton left office with the highest end of office approval rating of any President since World War II. How could a guy who embarrassed himself so royally with the whole oval office intern affair still be so popular? Because he remembered everyone’s name! Whenever Clinton interacted with someone he made a point of physically touching him or her in some way, (get your mind out of the gutter, a clean way – handshake, hand on shoulder etc) he held eye contact, and he always addressed them by name. It only took one meeting for him to remember someone’s name. And he made sure that the next time he saw that person, he used their name again.

And Abraham Lincoln? Lincoln was one of the earliest advocates for Human Rights. It is said that Lincoln valued the importance of a person’s name as an integral part of their sense of self-identity. In Lincoln’s effort to carefully remember peoples names, he showed them that he also valued them.

90% of people surveyed say that they feel more respected and motivated when someone remembers their name. A persons name is an extremely important part of our self-identity. It’s who we are. When you remember a person’s name a sense of familiarity and connection is formed. It’s an immediate sign to the person that you value them and see them as important.

Have you ever had someone forget your name? It’s a pretty deflating feeling when they do. When you are campaigning to be President, you’re going to meet thousands and thousands of people – donors, other politicians, grandparents, teachers, little league baseball teams, girl scout troops – all sorts of people will cross your path, people whose votes you need! The more names you can remember equals the more people who believe in (and like) you.

So you want to be President one day? Namerick will help you get it done.

Our survey showed that about 4 out of 5 people say they notice when someone has forgotten their name. (We always thought we were better than that too!)

Our survey also showed us that woman are slightly better at noticing when you’ve forgotten their names. Watch out guys!

Some comments from those that notice name forgetters..

“The conversation becomes awkward and they often do not make eye contact.”

“It makes you feel less important to them.”

“I feel embarrassed for them.”

“I usually forget most people’s names as well…”

The full survey is available at: http://pickfu.com/GAWNHW

]]>http://namerick.com/blog/survey-you-forgot-their-name-are-you-fooling-them/feed/1Where the Hug has No Namehttp://namerick.com/blog/a-hug-with-no-name/
http://namerick.com/blog/a-hug-with-no-name/#commentsTue, 30 Aug 2011 00:57:23 +0000adminhttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=161Are you a hugger? I’m a hugger. There’s just nothing wrong with a hug. But there is one thing that can make them awkward: that moment when your arm has committed to a friendly torso squeeze, and you realize that despite the sincere warm feelings you are about to express with this gesture, you cannot remember the most basic thing about this person: their name. Now, instead of enjoying the mid-hug rush or the post-hug glow, your mind is frantically searching for that lost data point.

You may even want to say, “Hey, I really enjoyed your list of favorite rappers/our lively debate over front yard succulents/that dreamy make-the-rest-of-the-room disappear eye contact we had, I’m just bad with names!” The thing is, even most non-lame excuses sound lame at a moment like that. And unlike the diciest crossword clue, you can’t just guess and see how it goes. 95% of the time you’ll be wrong, and the other 5% will be clouded by thoughts of “I’m pretty sure they could tell that was a guess.”

You know where I’m going with this. You can avoid this entirely. You just remember their name. Whether you part ways by hug, handshake, bow or high-five, you get the zest of human connection with no awkward fumbling. Onward fair rememberer!

Owen

]]>http://namerick.com/blog/a-hug-with-no-name/feed/2Got NADDs?http://namerick.com/blog/got-nadds-name-attention-deficiency-disorder/
http://namerick.com/blog/got-nadds-name-attention-deficiency-disorder/#commentsTue, 23 Aug 2011 19:58:21 +0000adminhttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=34Grr. You just missed their name. It's almost like you didn't even hear it - or if you did, it went in one ear and directly out the other without even stopping to wave at your brain.
]]>

Grr. You just missed their name. It’s almost like you didn’t even hear it – or if you did, it went in one ear and directly out the other without even stopping to wave at your brain.

or perhaps..

THEM: ” Well, it’s been nice hanging out with you for the past few hours ”
YOU: ” You too, ..buddy.. See you later. ”

Ug. You’ve been hanging out with them all night and had learned their name at some point, but when it would be most impactful and respectful to confidently smile and call them by their name – *poof* – it’s gone. You’re forced to use one of those filler names like “buddy”, “dude” or “man”. If they’re a girl, your filler names are probably useless.

——————-

Name Attention Deficiency Disorder (NADD) is an affliction that so many struggle with today. With so many other things flying through our brains, we rarely take the time to register a name to memory before we are on to the next thought. Even if we take a moment to repeat their name in hopes we can lock it to memory, moments later it’s usually gone when you start talking about last saturday night’s epic adventures or what you had for dinner. Sometimes you may ask again, but usually most of us are too embarrassed and resign to the fact that the next time they’ll have to greet them awkwardly with a filler name.

For those suffering from NADD, there are a number of things you might try to become better at remembering names. Our soon-to-release Namerick iPhone app is obviously the best, but many also find some of these techniques to be helpful.

Ask them how they spell their name (unless it’s Fred or Andy then you’ll just look dumb)

Imagine their name scribbled on their forehead in red magic marker. Try to resist actually doing this if you happen to have a red marker

Think of something memorable with the same first letter as their name (ie. Jackrabbit when you meet a Jackson) or create a namerick

Try to remember their name again in exactly 10 minutes just before when studies have shown your brain is most likely to forget

In an era that is collectively so bad with names, learning to be better at remembering names will make you stand out among the pack. In our recent survey, people listed ‘remember[ing] my name’ as a trait they like in new people they meet.

* Unless you’re as smooth as Michael, we don’t recommend sharing your namericks or regular mnemonics with others if they may be considered offensive. The more image-rich and memorable the words in your namerick are, the better it will stick in your memory.

]]>http://namerick.com/blog/mnemonic-device-can-improve-memory/feed/2What is a Namerick?http://namerick.com/blog/what-is-a-namerick/
http://namerick.com/blog/what-is-a-namerick/#commentsSat, 20 Aug 2011 20:35:14 +0000adminhttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=78namerick (n) : a mnemonic device that utilizes imagery and alliteration to make a name more memorable.
A namerick, pronounced like "limerick", is a fun and image-rich few words that are paired together using alliteration. (ie. the same letter/sound of each word) Namericks are designed to capitalize on other parts of your brain that are more apt at quickly remembering things. Both the repetition of sounds and the imagery of the words help to better lock a name into your memory.]]>namerick(n) : a mnemonic device that utilizes imagery and alliteration to make a name more memorable.

Like… Robert Rides Rhinos

A namerick, pronounced like ”limerick”, is a fun and image-rich few words that are paired together using alliteration. (ie. the same letter/sound of each word) Namericks are designed to capitalize on other parts of your brain that are more apt at quickly remembering things. Both the repetition of sounds and the imagery of the words help to better lock a name into your memory.

—— EXAMPLES ——-

Jackson Juggles Jaguars(imagine him juggling big snarling jaguars!)

Samantha Slaps Serpents(imagine her winding up and slapping a big green serpent)

Greg Guzzles Guinness (picture him with an upside-down pitcher of thick dark beer)

Entering a new name in the Namerick App will unlock a variety of random namericks to choose from, or you can easily create your own. Take a moment to imagine the namerick and the scene it depicts and some details about it. These will help you remember their name for good.

]]>http://namerick.com/blog/what-is-a-namerick/feed/1A Lesson in Neighborhood Building with Mr. Rogershttp://namerick.com/blog/a-lesson-in-neighborhood-building-with-mr-rogers/
http://namerick.com/blog/a-lesson-in-neighborhood-building-with-mr-rogers/#commentsFri, 15 Jul 2011 23:22:48 +0000adminhttp://namerick.com/blog/?p=317“It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor?”

Since I was indeed a baby of the 80s, and grew up with the poignant, albeit cheese-filled rhetoric of that beloved shoe-tossing, cardigan wearing Mr. Rogers, I will admit that he and his neighborly attitude have a soft spot in my heart. But whether or not you can stomach Make-Believe Neighborhood or not, there is a lot to say for the work real people are doing to strengthen real neighborhoods and communities across the country. A common theme for community organizers and leaders in neighborhood building, is building strong relationships with individuals. For those folks doing the great work of community organizing in and around San Francisco, it seems that that good relationship building starts with that first exchange of names…and the ability to remember them an hour, a day, or 3 months later.

In San Francisco, a community group has emerged in the neighborhoods that surround the bike route, The Wiggle. The group’s mission is to be a leader and a model in community sustainability and resilience. Morgan Fitzgibbons, chief ‘Wiggler’ and organizer of the group talks a bit about the importance of remembering names:

“Learning people’s names really is essential to building community. It’s pretty much impossible to build the ‘strong tie’ relationships you need for community work if you don’t know and address someone by their name. It seems like a small thing, but it’s really a major step in building a relationship. Calling someone by their name really makes them feel like they are important to you. And there is a special pleasure in using someone’s name when they don’t expect you to remember – it sets the tone for the relationship and makes you appear very put together.”

Lauren McCarthy, Community Manager at Scoutmob (super cool company that aims to generate a greater community of locals by connecting folks with deals, stories and insider scoops of local businesses/events) speaks to the same truth:

“Learning people’s names is the first step to getting to know our neighbors and a critical step if we are going to collaborate with the right people to make things happen in San Francisco…Names are intimately connected to our identity. I make it my goal to remember the names of people who I see on a regular basis in the neighborhood. It feels so good to say hi to Sharon or Alex at Mission Pies in the morning. I also love to connect people with one another who should meet-and let me tell you, it’s so much easier if you can remember the name of the people you are trying to connect.”

Lauren Markham, an experienced leader and Program Consultant at the Oakland Unified School District, works with refugee families from around the world.

“In my experience, knowing a person’s name is vital to building community and to building trust within and among communities. On a symbolic level, knowing a person’s name shows that you have taken the time and energy to learn that name, and that you are committed to that person as an individual. And on a purely practical level, it simply makes communication and coordination easier as people are automatically more engaged and responsive. I think there’s often an inherent connection between having someone know your name and having a sense that that person sees you, or cares for you in some way.”

As we recognize the increasingly disjointed nature of communities across the country, it is these kinds of efforts to build strength and cohesion amongst neighbors that ought to be celebrated. Focusing in on the simple task of remembering someone’s name, begins that interaction with intention and thoughtfulness; it says, ‘this is my neighbor, this is a connection I care about.’

Check out these guys’ tips and secrets below. They are also early adopters of Namerick, which gathers together some of these age-ole tricks, mixes ‘em up with some new-age magic and VOILA! creates a name-remembering iPhone app of the most neighborly nature!

Tips for Remembering Names from Bay Area Community Organizers:

Morgan Fitzgibbons

Lauryn McCarthy

Lauren Markham

PAY ATTENTION! This is really the biggest thing.

Listen. Really listen

Listen carefully

Focus on the person when they are telling you their name.

Repeat names once you’ve learned them

I’m a visual learner, so I have to see the names written.

Repeat the name early and often, remind yourself silently in your head during or shortly after your first interactions

Introduce the person you just met to another person (maybe those forced ice breakers were onto something: “this is Allie and she loves apples”)

It helps me to make connections among people: I know Lishara is the adorable six year old, and that woman is her mother. I’ll ask her mother’s name (Maya) and remember them as both individuals and a unit.

Don’t be afraid to ask again – even the best of us forget from time to time (although using Namerick will surely help with that!)

Write it down after you meet someone-I know names are important but hey, I’m human and sometimes I forget. Writing a name down and looking at it later can be helpful.

Facebook helps keep new people on my peripheral radar. If I run into them at brunch a month down the road, I am better positioned to remember them.

For more info on the work these three are involved in, check out the links below.